


Loyalty

by Welsper



Category: Original Work
Genre: Naval Battle, Navy, Non-binary character, Other, Pirates, Trans Male Character, kraken - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 16:12:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18720520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welsper/pseuds/Welsper





	Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [roguefaerie (samidha)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/samidha/gifts).



Waves clashed against the wooden hulls of the Loyalty as it tried to evade the fang-covered tentacles of the Kraken arisen from the black depths to drag the ship down.

“Don’t lose heart, my soldiers! We can take this mindless beast! For Queen and country!” Charles Harlow shouted as he ripped the rudder around. The helmsman had fallen to the Kraken who had dragged one of its tentacles over the deck, taking many brave men and women. But Charles knew just as well that inspiring words would not reach the ears of the beast and would not inspire the impossible in his crew. Wood was cracking and splintering as they were firing onto the Kraken. But despite it being twice the size of the largest Navy vessel and then some, it was as quick as the lithest dolphin, ducking and disappearing faster than they could fire upon it. With just one ship, the crew of the Loyalty was no match for it.

On the horizon, a ship that Charles would recognize anywhere anywhere appeared. He knew her red sails, the crowned skull that adorned them, the proud mermaid figurehead swinging her swords. And he knew every single wound he had given her, where the cannonballs fired from his own ships had nearly sunk her, the burns left by his attacks. She had given his Loyalty just as much back. She and her captain, the passionate Mar Read. So many battles they had fought together and one day, they would most like both sink each other and go to their graves at the bottom of the sea together.

Was Mar now here to wait it out, after all? Devour what leftovers the Kraken would give them?

“I leave you out of my eyes for a week and you’re trying to get yourself killed by a squid? It won’t do, sir!”

Charles had never been that relieved to hear Read’s voice as he was now. The Stormy Seas had come to their rescue after all, not to stand by and watch their demise.

The Kraken could not dodge them all. Harpoons landed in it’s slimy hide, keeping it above the waters even though both ships were leaning over so far they nearly cap-sized.

“Now!” Shouted both captains as the ships emptied their remaining munition into the beast. A horrifying shriek pierced the ears of both crews as tentacles flailed until at last they were still and slammed onto the water. Waves of ocean water washed over the decks from the impact.

“You still alive, Captain Harlow? Live to pester me and my men and women another day?”

Charles managed a grin at that, but felt his knees give out once the adrenaline had left his body. Mar caught him in their arms and Charles’s hand twitched to the hilt of his sword reflexively.

“Come now, I won’t be stabbing you after all that. Just let me look over you.”

Charles eyed them warily, but it would be a shameful thing to now die of some infected splinter caught in the battle after living through a battle with a Kraken. Mar sat him down by the staircase and removed his blood-stained vest and shirt. His torso was already turning blue and purple and his bones ached fiercly.

As Mar checked his body for wounds that needed attending, their hands lingered over the old scars his time in the Navy had given him. Two missing toes when a rope had gotten tangled around his feet as a young cabin boy and had ripped them clean off, countless little scars from scraping over rough wood, faded burns on his hands from pulling ropes. The pirate patted his ribcage, trying to find out if any of them had broken and were pressing into his lungs. Their hands trailed over his chest and the faint two scars that ran directly under his pectorals.

“Those still hurt?”

“They’re old.”

“Ah, my quartermaster and one of the cabin boys have the same. The boy has gotten a tattoo too over it. Two swords across his chest. He can barely wield one of them, but the young and their dreams.”

Charles scoffed and grimaced as it made his cracked ribs hurt even worse.

“You pirate louts get tattooed for anything.”

“These louts helped save your arses! I didn’t see you complain then. Must we now go back to being foes? I quite dislike running my sword through someone who fought by my side before.”

“I have a duty to my country. To my Queen.”

“Is that what you want? To live and die a dog for a queen who feels nothing for you? Who doesn’t even know you? Never be free? If you had died here today, someone back in some dusty office would have filled out some paperwork and they’d replace you within a week.”

Mar offered him their hand and Charles took it.

“Fight for someone who believes in you as much as you believe in them.” Mar grabbed Charles’ arm and spun him around to face the men and women busy repairing the damages to themselves and the ships.

“Fight for them. Fight for those who are loyal to you. Take to the seas with them!”

Mar clasped Charles’ shoulder with their hand.

“Take to the seas with _me_. Let’s join our fleets.”

Charles stared down at the hand and up into those emerald eyes who were gazing so intently at him. So full of passion, for the seas, for their crew. And for him.

“Be my man, not some faceless queen’s.”

Mar leaned forward and their lips touched Charles’. It was rough, but kind still. Charles felt his eyes flutter closed and could hear the men and women on the decks whistle and cheer as he kissed back. His arms wrapped around Mar’s waist and pull them towards him.

“Then will you be mine too? So long until Davy Jones drags us down into our watery graves?”

Mar grinned at him.

“Aye. And may that day be far away. I’ll fight him for you, too, if it comes to that.”

That should work. Who would stand and fight beside Charles against the terrors of the seas, sailing above and lurking below? Only this mad captain in his arms.


End file.
